Boat Club (RUMS): Safety and Welfare Officer

Hey everyone,

I’m running to be Safety and Welfare Officer at our incredible RUMSBC.

I’d love to ensure that everyone has the best possible time at Boat Club, and is able to take time away to really relax from the stresses of medical school. 

Safety and Welfare is a role in three parts (safety, welfare and education), and I am committed to ensuring all three of these needs are met for our members. I will actively work to prevent and deal with incidents appropriately. If elected I would carry on the excellent work of my predecessors in making the club as open and inclusive as possible. 

Below are my main manifesto points:

• Streamlining safety reports after outings by encouraging conversation on these topics.
• Producing and distributing resources related to safety and welfare, beyond the talk in first term.
• Implementing crew based socials to promote welfare and bonding.
• Continuing the use of the welfare reporting form, and amending it based on feedback.
• Increasing the use of the buddy system for socials beyond freshers events.
• Running more well-being events
• Changing up the pre-clin tutorial calendar to increase support in the lead up to 1st and 2nd term mocks.

I feel that my past 3 years of involvement with rowing, and my my experience organising events have given me the skills needed to deliver this role; and support the club as best as I can.

If you have any questions, or  further suggestions do let me know. I’m always around for a chat!!

Bart

I will develop the established relationship with the UCL casework team so that RUMSBC can operate under a zero-tolerance policy. This will help the club to move towards zero tolerance for sexual harassment and racist and homophobic microaggressions. The new reporting form will be an integral part of ensuring that early incidents are recorded and can be effectively dealt with. I will also work to increase transparency of how the wider SU framework operates to help alleviate stress and anxiety for any students who do have to report a major incident.

I would like to elevate the role of the inclusivity officer and make the issues dealt with by the inclusivity subcommittee more well-known within the club. I will advocate for inclusivity matters to be brought further up the agenda in all council meetings. I have really enjoyed being part of the subcommittee this year.

I would also like to encourage conversations about what a healthy relationship with alcohol looks like. There is often a misconception that volume is the major factor, but more frequently there are concerning thought processes surrounding someone’s attitudes towards drinking. I would like to facilitate conversations about how members of the club can approach this topic with friends. Encouraging more socials that do not revolve solely around drinking may also help to minimise unhealthy relationships.

I have loved joining rowing this year and would love the chance to help make it a safer space for everyone next year.

Coming to the end of my 4th year in this club, each year I've gained more of an appreciation for the importance of the Safety and Welfare Officer in the club, from little things like making every outing is safe to go ahead to discreetly helping club members access the support they need. I truly believe I have the experience and knowledge one needs to excel in this role, and I know I will give it my all. RUMSBC has been a safe haven for me since day 1, and I hope that you would honour me with this opportunity to keep you all safe and well. I understand the intricate and delicate nature of this role and have some aims on top of the basics that I would like to achieve.

Safety

• More lifejackets for more outings with multiple coaches
• Revamped safety talk to be relevant and interactive
• Minimise injuries by introducing a warming up and down culture into all crews
• Spreading awareness about concussion and how to check for it

Welfare

• Anonymous tip line for people to use to raise concerns/queries
• Signposting for resources such as mental health and finances
• Inform people about what they can do if they are the person people turn to for help
• Socials organised with social secs and inclusivity officer eg Mario Kart Tournament

Education

• Ensure all modules/high yield topics are covered by registering interest for tutors at the start of the year
• Get in touch with doctors asap to ensure we have plenty of doctors for older year mocks

Thanks for reading!

I would like to be your Safety and Welfare Officer because I love the club and would like to make it an even more comfortable and welcoming environment than it already is! I'm an approachable and friendly person, who you can come to with any worries or concerns and I will always try my best to help you or at least direct you to where you can find the most support. I also have some experience carrying out risk assessments for another organisations but I'm keen to learn more about the specifics of safety at the boathouse to both prevent incidents but also ensure that we are well-equipped to deal with any issues that arise.

I was inclusivity officer last year and through this role, I helped establish the inclusivity subcommittee, organising socials and discussions to ensure that everyone's voice is heard in the club. This is of great importance to me and I would like to encourage this further by working with the next inclusivity officer to help everyone truly feel a part of the club. 

Here are the main things that you can expect from me in the role:

1) Monthly welfare drop in sessions and socials

2) Mental health workshops

3) Tutorials starting earlier on in the year

4) Reliability and prompt responses

5) A friendly, calm and impartial person to talk to when you need to

I would love to be your Safety and Welfare Officer so vote for me if you would like to see change, support and positive vibes all-round!